India protests Pakistan raising Kashmir issue

Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue at a meeting of the U.N. panel on humanitarian issues, prompting a strong response from the Indian side which said Islamabad has no right to raise the issue as Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Pakistan’s acting permanent representative to the U.N. Amjad Hussain claimed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been denied “the right of self-determination.” Speaking at a special session of the panel on Monday, he said Pakistan remained committed to the Composite Dialogue process with India. A peaceful resolution of that dispute was imperative for durable peace, stability and progress in South Asia.

Congress MP B.K. Hariprasad expressed disapproval over the reference to Kashmir in the debate on self-determination. “We regret the unacceptable reference made by the delegation of Pakistan to the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

“I would like to reiterate that the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the Union of India and its people regularly participate in free, fair and open elections,” he said.